Cover Story
Proprioception: The Sense Within
Simon Gandevia and Uwe Proske | Sep 1, 2016 | 10+ min read
Knowing where our bodies are in space is critical for the control of our movements and for our sense of self.
Features
Sensory Biology Around the Animal Kingdom
The Scientist | Sep 1, 2016 | 10+ min read
From detecting gravity and the Earth’s magnetic field to feeling heat and the movement of water around them, animals can do more than just see, smell, touch, taste, and hear.
What Sensory Receptors Do Outside of Sense Organs
Sandeep Ravindran | Sep 1, 2016 | 10+ min read
Odor, taste, and light receptors are present in many different parts of the body, and they have surprisingly diverse functions.
Contributors
Contributors
Contributors
Meet some of the people featured in the September 2016 issue of The Scientist
Editorial
A Cornucopia of Sensory Perception
A Cornucopia of Sensory Perception
Forget what you learned about humans having five senses. That goes double for non-human animals.
Speaking of Science
Notable Science Quotes
Notable Science Quotes
Sensory discoveries, open-access publishing, and candidates on climate changes
Notebook
Multiple Sclerosis: Is Yawning a Warning?
Multiple Sclerosis: Is Yawning a Warning?
Neuropsychologist Simon Thompson found a possible link between yawning and multiple sclerosis. So what better way to get under the skin of his research than volunteering to take part in one of his experiments?
Smart Skin Enables Magnetoreception
Smart Skin Enables Magnetoreception
Researchers develop a wearable technology that can detect magnetic fields and translate the signal into a visual display—a first step toward equipping humans with an entirely new sense.
A Tribe of Hornbill Hunters Turns to Conservation
A Tribe of Hornbill Hunters Turns to Conservation
An indigenous community in northeastern India is a crucial part of the effort to save these majestic forest birds from extinction.
The Flower Sense of Hawkmoths
The Flower Sense of Hawkmoths
The pollinators of a wild tobacco plant use the tip of their proboscis to determine whether they should stop for a drink.
Critic at Large
Opinion: Fixing Science’s Human Bias
Opinion: Fixing Science’s Human Bias
It’s time to accelerate the conversation about why the research community is still not diverse.
Thought Experiment
Opinion: Acquiring Extra Senses
Opinion: Acquiring Extra Senses
Animals’ diverse sensory abilities will guide a technology-based revolution that gives humans perception beyond our natural senses.
Modus Operandi
Promoting Protein Partnerships
Promoting Protein Partnerships
Scientists generate new protein-protein interactions at an impressive PACE.
The Literature
Orchid Bees Use Simple Eyes to Detect Polarized Light
Orchid Bees Use Simple Eyes to Detect Polarized Light
The second visual field may aid in navigation.
Fruit Flies Feel Humidity with Dedicated Receptors
Fruit Flies Feel Humidity with Dedicated Receptors
Drosophila antennae let the insects seek out moisture levels they like best.
pH Detectors in Lamprey Spinal Cords Control Cell and Locomotor Activity
pH Detectors in Lamprey Spinal Cords Control Cell and Locomotor Activity
Neurons in the lamprey spinal cord can sense pH and counteract changes from the body’s optimal range.
Profiles
Profile: Dean Buonomano Studies How the Brain Encodes Time
Profile: Dean Buonomano Studies How the Brain Encodes Time
The UCLA neurobiologist uses computational modeling, in vitro electrophysiology, and human psychophysics experiments to explore how neurons and the brain as a whole perceive and respond to time.
Scientist to Watch
Katie Kindt's Quest to Understand Hair Cells
Katie Kindt's Quest to Understand Hair Cells
Acting Chief, Section on Sensory Cell Development and Function, National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders. Age: 38
Lab Tools
Designing In Vitro Models of the Blood-Brain Barrier
Designing In Vitro Models of the Blood-Brain Barrier
Choosing the right model, be it 3-D or 2-D, requires wading through varied cell sources, cell types, and cell culture conditions.
Using CRISPR to Edit Genes in Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells
Using CRISPR to Edit Genes in Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells
Tips on how to surmount the challenges of working with CRISPR to manipulate genes in human stems cells to study their function in specific diseases or to correct genetic defects in patient cells.
Careers
The Challenges of Rare-Disease Research
The Challenges of Rare-Disease Research
With few resources and hesitant investors, basic scientists must rely on clinicians, patient advocates, and their own keen eye for biological connections.
Reading Frames
How Art Can Inform Brain Science, and Vice Versa
How Art Can Inform Brain Science, and Vice Versa
Reductionism may be the key to bridging the gap between the humanities and the sciences.
Foundations
ESP on Trial
ESP on Trial
In the 1930s, parapsychologist Joseph Banks Rhine aimed to use scientific methods to confirm the existence of extrasensory perception, but faced criticisms of dubious analyses and irreproducible results.